Spirits Never Die: Revised
by MidnightCarnival
Summary: Neveil is a wanderer shrouded in shadow. She meets the hobbits and joins them on their quest, and at the same time seeks to find her purpose in a world she shouldn't exist in. OC Not a MarySue. This is a experiment to see if I can make a good, original story out of the overdone tenth walker.


**AN: That's right! It's the new and improved Version of Spirits Never Die! And yes I will finish the old version as well so don't get your panties in a twist. **

My feet are sore as I walk along the small road. I am taking a moment to drink from my water skin when I am suddenly knocked flat on my face by a heavy mass falling down the hillside.

I have my dagger in hand when I see that its four hobbits that have landed on top of me. I make a noise that is a cross of annoyance and discomfort as a rock digs into my shoulder and I feel a bump forming along the back of my head.

The curly blond haired hobbit that has landed next to me lifts his head out of the dirt and looks at me with a shocked expression. "Look Merry, a lady." He says while the others scramble off of me and help me to my feet with various words of apology.

"Well I can see that Pip." Says the hobbit sarcastically and looks like he could be the others twin, though there are enough differences that it is more likely to be a more distant relation. Cousins or further.

"Sorry about that miss. We didn't aim to fall on you any more than we had to fall at all." Says the stouter of the rabble before me with a concerned yet cautious light in his eye.

"My name is Sam. That's Merry and Pippin." He says pointing to the two who are now busying themselves with the picking of mushrooms. "And that's Fr-…Mr. Underhill."

I raise a brow at his correction but do not comment as he gestures to the "Mr. Underhill." He clearly does not wish to give his name and I do not care whether or not I receive it.

"I am know as Neviel." I say before looking over to the dark haired hobbit, but he seems preoccupied.

The Hobbit whispers something quietly in a fearful tone and a chill runs down my spine. My fingers twitch and my breathing slows and quiets. Utilizing all my senses, I wait.

A cloying cold air hangs around me and it is then I know what is coming. I snatch two of the Hobbits by the arm, pushing them off the road before doing the same with the other two. Ignoring their sounds of protest.

"If you value your lives, conceal yourselves!" I whisper harshly. The hobbits look at me with wide confused eyes but obey none the less. Their small size allows them to hide under a large tree root. Seeing that they are properly hidden I press myself up against a tree, stilling my shaking limbs.

The air grows colder, and the forest falls eerily silent. The only sound is my heart beating in my ears and I pray the wraith cannot hear. I strain to listen and the sounds of a horses hooves against packed earth enters my ears. Peering around the tree I see the terrible sight.

Black tattered cloth hangs from its form as it brings the black beast on which it sits to a stop. Dark blood dripping off of the horses legs onto the earth thickly, revealing its dark and unnatural nature.

My fingers tremble even as I grip the bark from the terror I feel entering my very bones as the wrenched thing climbs down from its steed on the spot where not a moment before we were standing.

It inhales deeply, coming to kneel heavily above the four Hobbit's hiding place. I cane hear it metal gloved hands close around the tree root as it continues to sniff them out. It will not take it long to find them.

I briefly contemplate running. I am no match for this creature, alone or with its companions. I could easily escape while it made off with the Halflings.

But could I really abandon anyone, even strangers to such a fate?

Pulling the dagger out of my belt with out thinking, I throw it in the opposite direction of the hobbits.

The wraith shrikes and bolts toward the sound and the Hobbits take their chance to escape into the trees, with me following at their heels.

I followed them easily till dark until they stop in their exhaustion. The one called Sam jumps up despite his exhaustion when I come into their midst's, placing himself between I and the mister Underhill.

"You followed us?" Underhill questions, and I nod an affirmation to his obvious question.

"That was a perfectly good dagger I threw away. I want to make sure it was not for no reason." I lie easily. Truthfully I needed to know why the Wraith chose them as a target. Nothing steers a Wraith from its objective. But a more pressing question was why the Nine had been sent out. It had been sixty six years since their last appearance, why now?

"That's all well and good, but would you mind telling us what that was?" Pippin asks breathlessly and looks up wearily from his spot on the ground. I calculate for a moment whether or not to tell them before discarding the notion completely and just coming out with it rather recklessly.

"A Wraith. A servent of the Dark Tower and bane of all living beings." I say darkly. My eyes drifting to the road as I pull my hood up to hide my bright hair from the darkness. Unfortunately it's so light it would stand out like a troll on the plains of Rohan on such a dark night.

Why would the Wraiths be hunting these hobbits? I ask myself again just as I see the thing I fear more than and army of Wargs.

"Get down!" Either Merry or Pippin says a bit too loudly for my liking but we all drop none the less just as the Wraith passes on the road. I clutch my sword in my hand as I stare.

"Sam and I need to get to Bree." Underhill whispers hurriedly to Pippin, fear and urgency evident in his voice. Pippin nods immediately, understanding the seriousness of the situation.

"Buckle Berry Ferry." He says and motions for us to follow. As soon as we leave the trees however, a great shriek fills the air, and the Wraith rides into the midst of us. Immediately I draw my sword, and move to fight the wraith off.

"Go!" I shout, and barely block a blow from the wraith's black sword. It hisses, as I block another blow.

A fight with a Wraith is the most foolish thing possible. All you can do is block their attacks for if your blade ever touches their flesh, you will have just enough time to watch your blade become dust on the wind before they lop off your head.

Hopeing I have given the Halflings enough of a headstart, I block once more and I spin on my heel. Taking off running for the ferry. I hear the wraith pursuing but do not dare to look back. I watch Underhill hop onto the ferry last as I push myself to move faster.

"Hurry Neviel!" The hobbits yell to me from the ferry, and I see it's already pushed from the dock. I can feel the hot breath of the wraiths mount behind me, and I can imagine the wraiths sword posed to skewer me should I falter in my step.

With one more burst of energy, I lunch myself from the dock into the hobbits waiting arms. The Wraith shrieks in agitation of losing its prey.

Breathing hard yet still keeping my eyes on the wraith that's pacing agitatedly on the dock, I hear Underhill ask. "How far to the nearest crossing."

Pippin, also keeping his eyes on the Wraith responds. "Brandy Wine Bridge, Twenty miles." I feel no relief at his words as I watch the wraith join the other nine.


End file.
